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Review content:
First, let me say that this is a place where you know your child will have fun, be treated well, and will be (for the most part) safe. They are efficient, clean, and ensure that everything is taken care of. The staff are very friendly to the kids.
However, this comes at the cost of this being a very institutional place. Don't expect them to involve parents much, even if you want to. Despite claims of open door policies, they basically prohibit parents from visiting classrooms. The postive of this is that it keeps the kids safer without adults milling about. The negative is that it means that these aren't your kids any more (at least not during school hours).
They don't tend to follow modern "best practices" for some age groups. Again, in an attempt to maintain order and to ensure safety, there are age-inappropriate (although not harmful) activities, especially for the younger kids. They have frequent field trips and maintain adult:child ratios which are legal, but hardly prudent (1:5 or so). How one adult can handle 5 toddlers near a lake or at a zoo is beyond me. And yet, they are very capable and manage to do it.
They tend to be blasse about issues individual kids might have, such as allergies, issues at home, cultural differences, etc. Again, this allows them to provide consistent care which is good. But it has a cost for certain kids.
Some teachers do not speak English, which is not necessarily a problem when dealing with small children. However, do not expect to receive accurate reports from these teachers regarding your child. Did your child eat their lunch today? No way of knowing, since (1) parents aren't supposed to talk to the teachers and (2) the teacher doesn't know what you mean due to language problems. This also means that certain activities have to be adjusted. For example, teachers with communications problems will not read to the children. Instead, they turn on a record/tape/CD and hold up a book, turning the pages at the beep.
All in all, if you're someone who doesn't mind letting someone else decide what's best for your child, this is a good place. Your child will be safe. They will learn a lot. They will have fun. They will feel cared for. But there are no exceptions to the rules and you, as a parent, have to do what they say.
Also, you will be required to buy uniforms (and optional hats, backpacks, etc.). Yes, uniforms for toddlers. They're ugly and get get expensive (especially in the summer where they are required every day). A child without a uniform can be denied entry into the school. So make sure to do your laundry.
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